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How Can Churches Show Support For Homeschooling Families?
Many families have faith as a primary or secondary reason for homeschooling. Are churches doing anything to support and encourage homeschooling families? How can a family build faith and raise up children without the support of the elders and the pastor? Being a homeschooling-friendly church is an important factor that families consider when selecting a church home. Here are some ideas for ways that churches can show support for homeschooling families:
- Sponsor a support group and allow support groups to use facilities without charging them.
- Have a home school teacher recognition day just like they have public school teacher recognition days
- Recognize homeschoolers accomplishments
- Have the church library available at convienient hours. Stock it with books that can help the homeschooling family teach the children and that can recharge the batteries of the homeschooling parent.
- Allow classes and activities at the church
- Keep families together--rather then splitting them up for worship.
- Recognize and make provision for school-aged children coming to "child care" while Mom attends a weekly women's Bible study. Having a quiet "study hall" room with an adult present may be helpful to the homeschool moms in the church.
- Recognize that God has called many families to homeschool their children, and that they are still "salt and light" to the world. Many pastors/church leadership believe that children should be in the public system to evangelize the other children. A pastor can really support homeschooling families by recognizing that it is a lifestyle, called by God, and not a threat to families who are not homeschooling.
- Recognize that homeschooling is a job in itself, a major commitment, that does not leave the homeschooling parent available to do odd jobs around the church "because she is home all day doing nothing."
- Not saying that "putting the kids in school" is the answer to Mom's frustrations, stresses, or problems. Sometimes we need to share our feelings without having them all blamed on homeschooling.
- Realize that homeschool families have put extra thought into how they manage their families/what their goals are ... and honor their decisions. Be tolerant of those families who choose to keep their kids with them in church because they don't want to separate their families.
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